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1991-03-18
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!STtoRhap - SoundTracker to Rhapsody Conversion
===============================================
Version 1.00 - (C) 1991 M. D. George
This application takes a SoundTracker Module or Song and generates a
Rhapsody format file. The conversion process is geared towards the
use of the Rhapsody file via MIDI, and the current version is
tailored for the requirements of my own MIDI equipment (Yamaha
PSR-48). This primarily affects the handling of Percussion/Rhythm
instruments. The Yamaha allocates a single MIDI channel for reception
of all Rhythm data with the pitch of the received note determining
the instrument.
The application is installed on the icon bar in the usual way. To
perform a file conversion, drag the source Soundtracker file onto the
icon bar Icon. A window will appear showing the title of the piece
and listing each of the instruments. Against each instrument are
three icons : Percussion, Clef and MIDI Channel/Note. At the top of
the window are a further two icons defining the Percussion Channel
and Accent Threshold. All these icons are described below :
Percussion Channel
------------------
This defines the MIDI Channel to be used for those instruments marked
as Percussion. The MIDI Channel/Note icon for each such instrument
gives the MIDI note to be used for that instrument. This means that
whatever the pitch of the note in the SoundTracker file it will be
translated to the specified pitch in the Rhapsody file. Any MIDI
channel may be selected as the Percussion Channel provided that it is
not currently assigned to an instrument. Clicking with Select over
the icon will cycle upwards through the valid MIDI Channels, whilst
clicking withe Adjust will cycle downwards.
Accent Threshold
----------------
Each SoundTracker note can have an individual volume, allowing a
great deal of 'expression' to be built in to the song. This is
difficult to reproduce in a musical score, so the only concession to
'expression' is the ability to Accent those notes which have a
SoundTracker volume greater than the specified Accent Threshold. The
Accent Threshold is specified as a value between 0 and 127. Clicking
with Select over the icon will increment the value, whilst clicking
with Adjust will decrement the value.
Percussion
----------
This icon defines whether the corresponding instrument uses the
Percussion Channel or another MIDI channel. The value of this icon
toggles between a blank for a standard MIDI instrument and a tick for
a Percussion instrument. When a Percussion instrument is selected,
the clef is changed to a Bass clef and the MIDI Note is defaulted to
51, both of which can then be changed. The corresponding stave is
shown as a percussion stave within Rhapsody.
Clef
----
This icon defines the clef to be used for the corresponding
instrument. The value of this icon toggles between a Treble clef and
a Bass clef. Selecting a Bass clef will result in the instrument
sounding an octave lower. For a Percussion instrument, changing the
clef may result in the MIDI Note changing if the note was outside the
valid range for the new clef.
MIDI Channel/Note
-----------------
This icon is interpreted differently according to the value of the
Percussion icon for the corresponding instrument. For a Percussion
instrument it gives the MIDI note to be used on the Percussion
Channel. For a non-Percussion instrument it gives the MIDI channel to
be used for that instrument.
Having selected the appropriate instrument data, a Menu can be
obtained over the window with the following options :
Convert
-------
This leads to a 'Save' dialogue box which is used to define the
output file and to start the conversion process. Having started the
conversion, the hourglass records the progress - go and put the
kettle on !
Quit
----
This is equivalent to the 'Close' icon at the top of the window and
causes the window to be removed.
During the conversion process, the 'Convert' option is replaced with :
Abort
-----
This terminates the conversion process but leaves the window open.
NOTES :
1) Rhapsody note lengths may vary from the SoundTracker note
lengths because it is difficult to determine accurately the
length of a SoundTracker note. This depends on pitch, whether
repeats are in use and when the next note occurs on the same
Soundtracker channel. In addition, it is possible to have
SoundTracker notes of different lengths running concurrently
for the same instrument, whereas Rhapsody will only allow two
different lengths in the same 'slot' by the use of up and down
stalks. In practise this is seldom a problem.
2) My MIDI equipment is multi-timbral and polyphonic. It can
only produce a maximum of eight notes at a time but these are
the most recent eight notes on any of the fifteen
non-percussion channels. As a result I have not had any need to
constrain the allocation of notes to channels in any way. Users
with monophonic equipment or fixed allocations of 'n' notes per
channel may prefer some constraints to be selectable - please
let me know if you have any requests.
3) The program will cope with both 15 and 31 instrument
format SoundTracker files but currently only allows the
allocation of 15 MIDI channels + 1 Percussion channel. If
Rhapsody is enhanced in the future to allow Voice Select
commands to be sent over MIDI then this program will be
enhanced accordingly. Until then if you have a song with
more than 15 instruments (let me have a copy !) you will
have to use some MIDI instruments for 2 or more
SoundTracker instruments.
4) Rhapsody does not accept input from other applications,
so it is no use trying to drag the output file directly into
Rhapsody. Save it first and then load it into Rhapsody (and
then complain to Clares).
5) MIDI notes are values in the range 0 - 127 with each
value representing one semitone. Middle C has the value 60, and
the Cs above and below middle C have the values 72 and 48
respectively.
6) Be prepared to do some manual adjustments to the Rhapsody
score particularly for the volumes for individual staves. The
relative volumes of the staves depend largely on the MIDI
instruments generating the sounds. It will also be necessary to
transpose some instruments down an octave (or two) even if you
have selected the Bass clef but beware of notes going too low -
Rhapsody 'wraps' them to the top of the stave.
'Rhapsody' is a product of CLARES MICRO SUPPLIES.
This version of !STtoRhap has been compiled using DABS PRESS ABC
BASIC Compiler.
If you have any comments, suggestions, requests or fault
reports please contact me at the following address :
Mark George
10 Ashbrook Road
Bollington
Cheshire
SK10 5LF
March 1991